League headquarters would hate me saying it, but at this time of year I tend to tune out of all things AFL. But in the interests of keeping some sort of North Melbourne presence on the Knackery, I thought it only natural that a Kangaroo supporter should contribute to the musings on 2016 line-ups.
At the time time of writing, North’s inactivity during this trade period has bordered on soporific, apart from the canny investment in 21-year-old Jed Anderson (these days, being called a “fringe Hawthorn player” is nothing to be sneezed at). Nary has there been a mature-aged free-agent to be seen.
Maybe one slight concern is that many players in whom North have expressed an interest have snubbed their collective noses at the Kangas.
BACKS: Atley Thompson Hansen
Wright Tarrant McDonald
MIDS: Goldstein Swallow Cunnington
Jacobs Anderson Gibson
FORW: Thomas Waite Higgins
Ziebell Petrie Turner
INTER: Brown Dal Santo Harvey Garner
EMERG: Durdin Harper Firrito Nahas Wood
Dumont Wells Macmillan Black McKenzie
Neilson Vickers-Willis
N-O-M-W: Daw Tippett
Random thoughts: North’s first three picks from last year’s draft are yet to play a game, so much will depend on how Durdin (especially), Vickers-Willis and Neilson develop.
An understudy to Goldstein is a necessity. Even Sir Laurence Olivier got sick occasionally.
Even with Anderson, we still lack outside run. Wells might be finished – this will be an intriguing sub-plot in 2016.
N-O-M-W is not the acronym of a boy-band. (Not on my watch).
For the complete list of 2016 Almanac club predictions – here
Not a lot seems to have changed there old mate. If Goldstein pulls a hammy then they look very vulnerable.
In a way what North did two years back (getting Higgins, Sal Santo etc rather than drafts) is sort of what Geelong is doing now. It hasn’t ultimately worked for the Roos (so far).
What has happened to Black? He looked very talented a year or two back.
Dips,
If Goldy goes down we are g-a-w-n with a capital G.
One of the upsides of the three mature-aged free agents is that North did
not trade a draft pick for them. And, at 27, Higgins has at least another 4 years in him.
Off the list are Grima, Adams, McMahon, Currie, Bastinac. They should have moved
Spud Firrito on for the sake of regeneration.
With four live draft picks and quite a few from the last two drafts yet to play,
there is potentially a bit of youth there to freshen up the place.
Where is Brad Scott on your watch Smokie? 11.45 or 12.15? Or somewhere else?
North unusually quiet during the trade period.
Hard to find much fault with that line-up, Smokie. Although, with the September goggles off, the list still looks a tad slow. I want to believe that Wells will generate “recruit of the year” stories, preferably as a scything half back flanker.
Options: Switch Macmillan for McDonald, Garner for Thomas, get Wood and Dumont on the bench. It feels harsh but maybe Gibson and Dal Santo are headed for the fringe…
I endorse the N-O-M-W list, to which I add Black, mainly because we want to see more Brown.